Would your kids be disappointed to receive a homemade christmas gift?

[Songofsixpence]

DD loves her Build A Bear and asked for some clothes/accessories for Christmas. The stuff is quite expensive for what it is, so I thought I'd make her some.

I used to do a lot of product photography and I had one of those old fashioned suitcases that I used as a prop stashed in the loft, so I got it down and have been making Build A Bear clothes over the last month or so and it's now full. I have bought a couple of pairs of actual BaB shoes to put in it, but the rest of it is homemade.

I've had various phases of being into sewing and crafting over the years, so had tonnes of knitting wool, fabric scraps and bits and bobs festering away in my junk cupboard so a suitcase full of stuff really only cost a few pounds.

I had thought she'd love it

Anyway, chatting to friends about Christmas and what our DDs are into this year, etc, pretty much all of them have said their DDs would be really disappointed to get a homemade gift, and gutted that the clothes weren't actual BaB clothes

So, I'm panicking about it now

Would your kids be gutted?

She has got other gifts, but this is one of her main ones to go under the tree.

Some of my dd's favourite presents when she was smaller were home made teddy / doll items. Surely special one offs are much better than crappy bought clothes! (I remember the teenage girls next door made her a lovely cot for her doll which she treasured for years :) )

My dd would absolutely love that .

What a fabulous present.

Im in my late 50's now and to this day I can recall all the beautiful homemade dolls clothes I used to get for my Tiny Tears doll. My mum couldn't sew but our neighbour could and she would take in orders. My mum was a fab knitter though and my dolls always had lovely cardies and things as well.

The neighbour also used to make homemade aprons and lovely bedding for a dolls cot and pram.

Your daughter is so lucky.

Definitely a lovely idea and am sure your children will love them. When I was little my favourite doll "disappeared" for a few weeks before Xmas one year, then on Christmas Day she was back with a range of new outfits my gran had made. I was completely thrilled and iIt's one of the few presents from when I was little that I still remember (though I didn't know at the time that Gran had made the outfits - I thought it was Santa)

My grandmother made my girls some gorgeous dresses and outfits for their barbies when they were younger. They loved those dresses. As it happens they were beautifully made, all stitched by hand, and really very pretty. But if they'd been a bit more simple they still would have loved them.

You have absolutely no need to panic. None whatsoever.

This says a lot more about your friend than all but the most horribly spoilt children.

Wow - tailored, haute couture clothes - she will be delighted. For that is what she is getting for her bear. None of this off-the-peg high street stuff. My DD would love it too!

It sounds fantastic but if you are worried tell your dd that they are one off, hand made, custom fit, 'desinger' clothes that all the other bears will be jealous about.

Ignore the negative comments- they might be a tiny bit jealous that they couldn't make them.

That sounds a wonderful present. FWIW my daughter wouldn't be able to tell the difference and would simply be delighted to get such a haul.

That sounds amazing. I think home made crafty things can sometimes be naff, but it's usually because it doesn't have a required purpose (I.e. Crotchet covers for notebooks, or loo roll covers).

Something bespoke, purposeful and skilfully made like that would be brilliant - a perfect gift. Don't panic.

MIL always makes homemade gifts for all her nephews and nieces.

My DC (who wouldn't actually have a clue if they were homemade or shop-bought anyway) have always loved everything she has made.

I feel really sad for you that such a wonderful gift is being tarnished by your friends' complete uh, what's the correct term to use? Well whatever it is isn't good! Do you realise how lucky your daughter is to have a mum that 1, has the skills, and 2, took the time, plus 3, had the imagination to create such a treasure trove and 4, isn't compelled to spend for the sake of it? Anyone can go out and throw a load of money at a mountain of overpriced mass-produced potential landfill. You've given her the gift of time and proper handmade toys with your love and care sewn into every stich.

She's a lucky thing

Mind you I'm not at all disparaging of bought gifts for Christmas, let me just make that clear as it sounds like it from my comment above. Obviously most people put a whole lot of time and effort and care (= love) into their bought gifts as well.

It's just a wonderful gift to have, something made especially for you.

Aw, thank you

You've all made me feel so much better.

I'm sure you're right, and she will love it (fingers crossed). She's so difficult to buy for and doesn't ask for much so I thought I had it sussed, but you know what it's like when doubt sets in.

I don't think kids will care about the branding of the clothes. The fact that she has a big suitcase full of lovely hand made and unique outfits for her bear means she will have so much more than she could have had. I was looking yesterday and was horrified how expensive they are - it would cost more for a pair of teddy shoes than shoes for my DS for heavens sake, and I bet your clothes are far superior in quality.

Please don't worry about your friends comments, I think she is probably jealous that she can't do such a lovely thing for her children. Your DD will be the envy of the playground and I would put money on the fact that you will have a few mums approach you to similar for their children's bears.

No - I make dolls clothes and clothes for DD - she is always thrilled because No one Else Has Them!

It sounds amazing! I did a similar thing for dd2 last year (dressed up a teddy and made a bed and some accessories for it) and it was her favourite present. The only drawback is she's so in awe of it she doesn't actually play with it, just sets it up in her bedroom and admires it

My MIL main gift to my girls was knitted dolls clothes for several years. They were always thrilled and in fact ED(15) still has a little stash of knitted loveliness in the corner of her room which sjhe plans to make into a cushion someday as they are 'too good to lose just becaseu I've grown out of dolls'.
OP: giving your daughter exactly what she wants for Christmas is amazing: there will be BaB fashion shows at your house right through to Easter!
I think (would hope) that your friends are bemoaning their own parenting/their child's shallowness rather than criticising your lovely thoughful gift!

She will love it!!
I've made my son a box of crochet and knitted food for Christmas. I used to get similar form my nan and it was always my favourite present.

Thanks!

To be fair to my friends, they are normally lovely, and aren't shallow or snippy or anything like that and one of them is extremely handy with a sewing machine.

Probably why it struck such a nerve.

I've loved making them, I'm a sucker for pink rick-rack. Hopefully she'll have as much enjoyment out of playing with them, as I have making them

She was probably just gutted she hadn't thought of something similar. Maybe you'll inspire a whole raft of very special gifts next year

I've made Anna coronation dresses for my girls & am going to make Elsa dresses for their dolls (although might change that to dd2's BaB now I've seen your post!).

I've had nothing but positive comments from friends I've shown them to and have even made a couple more for their dd's.

I reckon your friend was just jealous of your creativity, there's nothing at all wrong with making a gift for your own dd & I'm sure she'll be thrilled with the suitcase full of clothes - mine would be!

Paper mâché Octopod, I don't think you'd get away with, but home sewn bear clothes sounds absolutely adorable. My ds would flip for a suitcase full of tiny bear clothes, wherever they originated.

My mum made outfits for my favourite rabbit and I still have them. She made me a wooden dolly once too out of clothes pegs and it is one of my most treasured possessions. She is neither seamstress nor carpenter, just 'handy' and thoughtful.

I have bought my kids some nice new toys, but I still like to make something as well, as those are the things they hang onto.

It sounds fantastic, am that your friends would think otherwise. I once did a craft box for Christmas consisting of plastic storage box with lid and loads of craft bits, paper etc from the local resource centre. It was cheap to put together and my 2 thought it was fantastic.

It sounds wonderful and I hope my DC would show due appreciation and be delighted but I do remember the Christmas 35 years ago when my Great Aunt made an amazing wardrobe of clothes for my Sindy Doll. They were made with such love and I got far more than I would have done if she'd bought the ridiculously over priced things. I hope I didn't show any disappointment but I do still remember that feeling you get when a gift is almost but not quite exactly what you wanted.

You are not being unreasonable at all.

Back in the late 1920s, my great grandmother, whom I am named after, who was a seamstress, made a wardrobe of clothes for the two dolls owned by her two daughters. They were made from scraps of the beautiful dresses she sewed for her clients. My granny is now 90 and still treasures them.
Sadly I did not inherit her skills along with her name!